Old Photograph Harthill Castle Scotland

Old photograph of Harthill Castle by Oyne, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. This Scottish castle, which has now been restored, is the ancient seat of the family of Leith of Harthill. It dates from the 15th century.

The Leith surname is of medieval Scottish origin and is locational from the coastal town of Leith near Edinburgh, which takes its name from the river at whose mouth it stands, and is derived from the Gaelic, lite, meaning wet, and is comparable to the Welsh, llaith, damp or moist. There are reported to be three fables as to the origin of the Leiths, the first being that they held the barony of Restalrig, secondly, that they were burgesses of Edinburgh, who gave their name to Leith Wynd, and thirdly, that the founder of the family of Leith of Harthill, in the parish of Oyne, was William de Lethe, burgess of Aberdeen.



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